Product Data Management (PDM)

Product Data Management - The term product Data Management_ (PDM) refers to a database repository of information about products. A PDM database is often part of a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software solution. A PLM software solution is used to support the lifecycle process of product specification, design, manufacture, change and discontinuation.

A PDM repository is used for basic specification data about products and can be used to create a bill of materials (BOM) for a product, manage computer-aided design (CAD) files, product configuration data and the history of product changes.

A PLM software solution is mostly used by product designers and engineers. The benefits of using a PLM solution include the ability to optimize processes and reuse information associated with a product's lifecycle, with the aim of improving efficiency and quality and reducing costs.

Product Data Management_ is sometimes confused with product information management (PIM). A PIM software solution stores the same basic product specification data as a PDM database, but it also contains rich product data to support supply-chain operations, marketing, sales and customer service across multiple channels.

[Category=Data Quality ]

Stibo Systems, 26 May 2011 08:11:32, http://www.stibosystems.com/US/Resources/Glossary/F.aspx